.Imo youths reject new petrol pump price, back NLC
Victor Duruamaku OWERRI
The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) says the increase in petrol price is in violation of all agreements the union had with the Federal Government.
This is contained in a statement jointly signed by TUC’s President, Mr Quadri Olaleye and its Secretary General, Mr Musa-Lawal Ozigi on Tuesday in Lagos.
The statement noted that in spite of efforts made by the organised labour in its last meeting with government over hike in fuel price and electricity tariff, it had resolved to further impoverish Nigerians with the recent increase.
“We recall that at our meeting, government appealed that subsidy removal was the only way out, else the economy will collapse and there will be massive job losses.
“We agreed with them to save the economy and jobs.
“If the government claims to have deregulated the downstream sector of the oil and gas by removing fuel subsidy, it means the independent oil marketers are importing petrol at their own cost.
“Information at our disposal, however, is that no independent marketer is importing fuel because they cannot access dollars.
“The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporations (NNPC) is still holding on to that monopoly,” the duo said.
Both leaders expressed disappointment that government had again reneged on agreement reached with the organised labour sometime in September.
The duo said, “In few days, the various committees involving government and the organised labour will brief labour and the civil society and the outcome of that meeting will determine our next line of action.’’
.Imo youths Reject new petroleum pump price supports NLC.
Imo Youths under the name ‘ Concerned youths in Imo state, have vehemently opposed the new fuel pump price as recently announced by the federal Government of Nigeria.
In an official statement issued in OWERRI IMO state capital Tuesday the youth group said they rose from their zonal meeting with a resolution to reject the new petroleum pump price because it would put Nigerians in to more hardship
They indicated interest to support the Nigeria labour congress (NLC) in whatever action it would take nationwide to stop the federal government of Nigeria from implementing the new pump price
The group called on the labour Congress to come out and take it’s stand now ant like the recent time when they disappointed the citizens of the country.
According to the statement signed by the leader in the state Comrade Joshua Ezekwe Obi, already petrol stations in the state have adjusted their metres to the new price there by forcing commercial motorists to hike their transport fare in all the routs in line with the new pump price
The leader took time to investigate the out come of the new pump price and discovered that service providers in the state have increased their charges
This they said, ” will increase the already existing hardship being experienced by the poor masses of this country ”
The however urged the Federal Government to reconsider it’s decision on the new pump price and bring it down to it’s former price
According to them ” we will not hesitate to take any action we deem fit in addition to fully supporting the decision of the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, on whatever action it will take to protest against the new pump price.
They noted with dismay that this has started telling on the people as those who could not the increment in transport fare have now resorted to tracking to their various destinations
“the federal government should know that Nigerians are still passing through the pains of the recent covi–19 pandemic and the End SARS protest”
They further observed that with all these, Nigerians are still under tension to face another crises this time resulting from the new pump price amidst high cost of food stuff in the state
The statement said that the situation is worst in Imo state due to the inconsistent style of payment of salaries and pensions to civil servants and pensioners in the state
The youth group believed that the labour Congress ( NLC), this time around will not disappoint the citizenry of this country as it did in the recent passed by compromising
They therefore believed that the labour Congress would do something urgently to save Nigerians from further pains of bad governance of the federal government of Nigeria.
